Steel Mills

Nucor, US Steel Bag Green Steel Contracts From HVAC Provider

Written by Laura Miller

November 16, 2022

Demand for low-carbon steel is picking up, with two US steel producers bagging significant contracts to provide green steel for a global HVAC producer.

Sustainable HVAC provider Trane Technologies announced it will be purchasing low-carbon steel from Nucor Corp., its primary supplier, as well as from US Steel.

Nucor’s Econiq™ steel and US Steel’s verdeX® steel will be used in Trane’s US manufacturing of heat pumps and air conditioners for residential use and in commercial thermal management systems.

The low-carbon steel will account for 20% of Trane’s annual steel purchases, and the Swords, Ireland-based company plans to increase its usage of net-zero steel to 50% by 2030 and to 100% by 2050.

“Our partnerships with Nucor Corp. and US Steel will make our products even more sustainable as we continue to decarbonize our full value chain – from the raw materials we use, to our own operations, to the lifecycle impact of our products and services around the world. We’re proud to be leading the market transition to a net-zero future,” said Trane chair and CEO Dave Regnery.

The leaders of both steelmakers expressed their enthusiasm for Trane’s interest in low-carbon steel in a statement announcing the purchase agreements.

“Our Econiq™ brand is helping steel end users meet their growth and sustainability goals, and we are proud that it is going to be a key piece of Trane Technologies’ vision of a net-zero emissions future,” Nucor chair, president, and CEO Leon Topalian said.

“US Steel’s verdeX® steel is strong enough to handle the day-to-day demands of businesses and homeowners, and can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 70%–80% versus integrated steel mill production,” noted US Steel president and CEO David Burritt.

Trane operates manufacturing facilities all across the US and the world.

By Laura Miller, Laura@SteelMarketUpdate.com

Laura Miller

Laura Miller is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. She has held a variety of positions within the steel industry since 2007, including reporting and editing for Steel Business Briefing/Platts, the Association for Iron and Steel Technology, and Kallanish Commodities, as well as marketing for what was then known as ThyssenKrupp Steel USA (now AM/NS Calvert). After a five-year hiatus working across other industries, she returned to steel in 2021 and has covered the flat rolled, tubular, and trade areas of the industry. She is a member of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries and a past-president of the AWMI Pittsburgh Chapter. She holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She can be reached at laura@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7869.

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